Holder for matches, toothpicks, or like articles.



No. 791,638. PATENTED JUNE 6, 1905;

' I F. B. METZGER. HOLDER FOR MATCHES, TOOTHPIGKS, OR LIKE ARTICLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1904.

ITNESSES: W I INVENTOR. jammyo FRANK B.METZ\GR Patented June 6, 19053 H I UNITEDJSTATES. PATENT OFFICE.

and adapted. to be applied to the case.

. FRANK B. METZGER, on BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY.

HOLDER FOR MATCHES, TOIOTHPLCKS, OR LIKE ARTICLES;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,638, dated. June 6, 1905. Application filed September 30, 1904. Serial No. 226,638.

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRAN B. METZGER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bayonne,county of Hudson, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful 1mprovements in Holders for Matches, Toothpicks, or Like Articles, of which the following is a specification accompanied by draw-- ings.

This invention relates to cases or holders for matches, toothpicks, and the like; and the objects of the invention are to enable the splints forming the matches, toothpicks, or

Another object of the invention is toseoure a simple,.cheap, and ready means for holding splints, more particularly the splints of matches or toothpicks, in a paper holder, so

that each match or toothpick is firmly held in the holder, but may be broken off when it is desired to use one.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear; and to these ends the invention consists of a case or holder for the articles specified embodying the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts having the general mode of operation substantially as hereinafter fully described and claimed in this specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in whi'ch Figure 1 is an open-face view of a case or holder with the matches in position on one side of the same. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the case or holder shown in Fig. 1 on the line 2 2 with the cover or flap folded downward over the contents of the case. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of Fig. 2 on the line 3 3. Fig. 4 is an open-face view of a holder having matches on each foldable portion of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the strips provided with matches Fig. 6 is a detail View of a portion of the holder, showing the form of the perforated holdingstrip before it is bent to hold the stems of the matches. Fig. 7 is an edge view of the strip shown in Fig. 6 partially bent into position. Fig. 8 is a detail end view of the holding-strip fully bent into position with the stem ofone of the matches inserted.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the case or holder comprises foldable portions A and B, which may be multiplied as many times as desired; but in this instance two portions are shown to illustrate the in vention. The material of the holder may be anything desiredas, for instance, stiff paper or cardboard. As shown, the. holder is creased or folded at O to form the portion A, which maybe called the body portion, and the flap or cover B. In this instance matches Dv are shown held in the casing B; but of course toothpicks may be substituted therefor or any other suitable splints-adapted to various uses. matches, or toothpicks in position, they are secured in a folded strip E, of paper, cardboard, orother suitable material, and the folded strip E, together with the splints secured therein, are fastened to the holder A B by .mucilage, if desired, and they may be additionally secured to the holder by a metallic staple F, having bent ends G. h

In order to form the holding-strip E, the paper or cardboard of the desired size, which,

.as shown in Fig. 6, is longerthan its width,

is perforated at H along one side and at one end of the same with a series of perforations, one for each splint. The strip E is then bent first into the U-s'haped form shown in Fig. 7 the perforated portion I preferably being a little longer than the unperforated or base portion J. The strip E is then further bent into the loop form shown in Fig. 8, which brings the perforations H along the connecting portion K of the strip which connects the portions I and J, as shown in Fig. 8. The stems of the matches, splints, or other articles are then thrust into the perforations H and suitably secured between the portions I and J .of the holding-strip, as by means of mucilage or glue.

Fig. 3 shows the splints thrust into the perforations and secured therein. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the holding-strip and matches ready to be applied to the holder A and B.

In order to hold the splints,v

the apertures is bent'intdU-shapedor-boxlike form, so that the aperturesarrange themrselves along one side of the box-like holder may be-use'd'without others, and the invention maybe embodied in widely-varying forms.

enumerating equivalents, I claim, and desire The finished article is shown in Figs. 1 and 4 both single and double.

Whenthe'casing or holder is completed, the cover B may befolded down over the matches and tucked under the end of the inturned portion L, so that a complete and serviceable formed by the strip.

*- Obviously some features of thisinvention Therefore, without limiting the'invention to the constructions shown and described nor to obtain byLetters Patent, the following:

A device ofthe character described for holding matches, toothpicks and like articles, com- I prising a casing formed of an approximately rectangular piece of material having a body 'portion, a-bent-over end forming a pocket,

and a longer portion forming an inclosing flap, a holding-strip adapted to hold the ends of the splints, said strip comprising a piece "ofsuitablematerial 'secured in said pocket and having a series of perforations along one slde and at one end of the same, sald strip being bent into loop-shape form with the ends secured together, having the perforated portion slightly longer than the unperforated base portion, and the outer edge of the perforatedpo rtion being secured to the base portion, whereby the ends of the splints or the matches, toothpicks or like articles carried by the: device maybe inserted through the said perforations'and seated in the loop or fold of the strip, the short bent-over end of i the casing being secured over the perforated loop.

= In testimony whereof I have signedthis specification in thepresence'of two subscribing witnesses.

I FRANK B: *METZGER. Witnesses:

H. Gr. OGDEN, Jr., A. L. OBRIEN. 

